Christians and Drinking

 

If you ask a Christian whether or not drinking alcohol is okay, you might get any number of answers, most of which will be based on what they “feel,” or “think” is the right answer. A lot of the answers may simply be a hard “no.” Others might be more nuanced, but still based on feelings. The problem I have with this is that often when the question is asked, or when we are having a discussion about alcohol in church settings, the conversation stays focused on our own thoughts and feelings instead of what Scripture says. So, this week I want to answer the question “Is it okay for Christians to drink alcohol?” straight from Scripture. In doing so, I think there are two questions we need to answer to fully understand the whole topic and see it from all sides: is it permissible, and is it helpful?

Is it permissible? 

Scripture never explicitly condemns drinking alcohol. In fact, Jesus’s first miracle was turning water into wine at the wedding in Cana (John 2). Paul, in 1 Timothy 5.23, actually tells Timothy that he should drink a little wine to help with his stomach issues. If alcohol were strictly forbidden for Christians, then would Jesus offer it to the wedding attendees? Would Paul really suggest that Timothy, his pupil and fellow minister, drink wine? Doesn’t seem logical to me. 

That being said, the Bible does, in many places, condemn and forbid drunkenness. While drinking alcohol might not be condemned, being drunk on alcohol is called sinful. Take a second to look up the following passages to see what I’m talking about: Romans 13.13, Galatians 5.19-21, 1 Timothy 3.1-7, 1 Peter 4.3, and Ephesians 5.18. These passages, and others, condemn drunkenness as sinful because it displays a lack of self-control, a characteristic that is an essential part of the life of a believer. Ephesians 5.18 even goes further to condemn drunkenness, saying it is the opposite of being controlled by the Spirit. Excessive drinking can cause us to lose control of our minds and bodies, which is sinful in itself, but leads to all types of other sins. 

Is it helpful?

The next question we need to ask ourselves when determining whether we should drink or not is how it will affect those around us. Your drinking doesn’t affect just you. Those around you who see you drink are affected as well, and we need to be cognisant of how they are thinking and feeling because of our actions. 

Paul addresses this in 1 Corinthians 10.23-33. He writes to the Corinthians that all things are permissible, but not all are helpful. He ends the passage by saying “whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (ESV). Whatever we do needs to bring glory to God and point people toward Christ. If having that drink at the BBQ is going to cause a fellow believer who struggles with self-control to stumble, we should refrain. If drinking that glass of wine will cause non-believers to be turned off to Christianity, we shouldn’t order it. What it boils down to is whether or not our drinking will glorify God and benefit His kingdom. If it won’t we shouldn’t. It’s precisely because of this that most Christians refrain from drinking alcohol altogether. You never know when your drinking might cause someone around you to stumble or keep them from pursuing Christ. Be aware of your surroundings and how your drinking might affect others. 

So what can we conclude about the permissibility of drinking? Simply put, drinking alcohol isn’t condemned, but excessive drinking to the point of drunkenness is. Therefore, if you like to have a glass of wine with dinner, or a beer while you watch the game or BBQ, go right ahead. Just make sure that you remain in control and practice moderation so that you never do anything that would poorly represent Christ to anyone around you.